SPAAR's in-person closure to extend through June 30 for the safety of all
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To continue to protect the health and safety of SPAAR members, visitors and staff, SPAAR’s Executive Committee, comprised of Realtor® members, has voted to extend the suspension of all in-person classes, events and meetings through June 30. SPAAR’s Board of Directors had previously voted to suspend in-person classes, events and meetings through May 10.
SPAAR staff continues to assist members virtually in numerous ways including member services support, regular communication updates, and online CE and non-CE classes.
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NAR's Code of Ethics and COVID-19: how it may impact real estate
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The National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) has provided many great
resources
to support REALTORS® in their businesses, which SPAAR will continue to highlight for members. One area with the potential for confusion is understanding how the layers of regulations and stay-at-home orders intersect—or don't—with NAR’s Code of Ethics.
Click here to read an interesting NAR article that provides some insight
.
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SPAAR Cares: NAR provides member access to TeleHealth at no cost. Members must register before new deadline of May 31
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The National Association of REALTORS
®
(NAR) announced recently that it will be expanding access to Members TeleHealth
SM
at no cost to its members for those who register by May 31. In fact, since the initial week of this offering, more than 25,000 members and their families are receiving coverage through this program.
The program comes as part of NAR’s larger
Right Tools, Right Now
(RTRN) initiative is making numerous valuable resources available to the association’s 1.4 million members at reduced or no cost.
Members TeleHealth
SM
provides around-the-clock access to non-emergency healthcare from more than 2,300 board-certified U.S. physicians including common issues such as allergies, asthma, rashes, joint aches, flu and nausea, among others.
NAR is funding two months of services for members who lack access to telemedicine and enroll in this program by May 31. Recognizing that the opportunity will likely draw significant member interest, NAR has also negotiated a discounted rate for those who wish to retain coverage following the two month, no-cost period. For more information, including the TeleHealth application,
click here.
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SPAAR Cares: SPAAR staff still assisting members
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The Saint Paul Area Association of REALTORS
®
(SPAAR) is now following the Stay at Home order issued by Minnesota Governor Tim Walz. SPAAR staff members will continue to work remotely to serve members Monday through Friday from 8:30am to 4:45pm. They will provide all services they are able to do in a virtual or electronic capacity.
SP
AAR will continue to pro
vide guidance and updates in regard to what is outlined for the real estate industry to keep members informed in a timely manner.
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Looking for continuing education or networking opportunities? Check out all of SPAAR's upcoming events!
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SPAAR new members in 2020. Welcome, all!
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Take part in free CE classes next week for SPAAR members
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SPAAR is offering the following education classes, with free CE, the week of April 27. You may click on the highlighted link to register.
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Web-based education offered in place of in-person classes, meetings and events at SPAAR, which are cancelled through June 30.
SPAAR's in-person education offerings have been cancelled through June 30 in an effort to keep members, instructors and staff safe. This decision is based on recent developments with the coronavirus (COVID-19) in an effort to stop its spread and keep everyone healthy. In this current ever-changing environment, SPAAR will continue to provide updates as they are known.
A variety of web-based offerings have been made available through SPAAR and other REALTOR
®
-related organizations.
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Facilitated discussion sheds light on Newsday's investigative report on discriminatory practices
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Newsday paired undercover actors, posing as potential homebuyers, to compare how REALTORS
®
worked with Asian, Latino, black and white clients and, in November 2019, produced Testing the Divide, an investigative report on discriminatory practices of REALTORS
®
in several communities in New York. The report showed significant and widespread discrimination and brought calls for change in the industry. Many states, including Minnesota, have proposed improving enforcement of the Fair Housing Act.
SPAAR’s Diversity Committee watched the Newsday report at its meeting in December and had great discussion about clients, fairness and potential enforcement issues.
Now, we’d like to invite you to join this conversation!
On Thursday, April 30, from 1 to 2:30pm, join a facilitated discussion about Testing the Divide. The conversation, led by Henry Morimoto from Minnesota Housing and Sue Nichols, 2020 Diversity Committee Chair, will address:
- How should the Fair Housing Act be enforced?
- Should Minnesota use twinned testing of Fair Housing Compliance?
- How do you respond to discrimination in the marketplace?
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
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Good Morning YPN hosts COVID-19 economic overview with Elliot Eisenberg, PhD
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Elliot Eisenberg, Ph.D. (aka, “The Bowtie Economist”) promises to entertain and educate as he discusses the short-term and longer-term health of the U.S. and global economy.
Dr. Eisenberg will discuss the most recent statistics on key topics such as the depth and breadth of the decline in GDP, timing of the recovery, new and existing home sales and prices, home loan activity, inflation, interest rates, the health of labor markets, the impact of the just passed CARES Act, the severity of the novel Coronavirus and much more.
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SPAAR's Diversity Committee offers At Home With Diversity scholarships
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SPAAR’s Diversity Committee promotes homeownership to diverse groups and one REALTOR
®
certification that recognizes expertise in working with emerging markets is At Home With Diversity (AHWD).
A NAR certification program, AHWD was designed to present a picture of the changing face of the real estate industry. Since 1998, the program has prepared more than 20,000 REALTORS® to work effectively with and within today’s increasingly diverse pool of homebuyers.
AHWD is a 6 to 7-hour online course that addresses the topics of diversity, fair housing and business planning development. After completing the course, REALTORS® are eligible to apply for the official AHWD certification, which conveys to clients they’re working with a dynamic real estate professional with expertise that transcends cultural barriers.
As part of NAR’s Right Tools, Right Now initiative, through June 30, 2020, the AHWD course is $49; however, SPAAR’s Diversity Committee has approved up to 50 scholarships to cover the $49 fee. Submit proof of course completion and SPAAR members will receive a check to reimburse the course price. Also note, there is a one-time $75 fee to apply for and use the AHWD certification, which is not covered by SPAAR’s scholarship.
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NAR offers sitewide promotions for REALTORS
® now through May 31
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The National Association of REALTORS
®
(NAR) is offering a sitewide promotion for its Right Tools Right Now through Sunday, May 31. These promotions include online courses as well as designation certifications. As a side note, part of earning a C2EX endorsement includes obtaining a designation, for any member interested.
Click here to learn more about the Right Tools Right Now by NAR
.
Additional topics offered through Right Tools, Right Now include managing finances, market reports to inform your clients and education opportunities to expand your skills.
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Brush up on RPR and the many resources available
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Interested in a refresher on RPR knowledge and skills? This link is a main dashboard for pre-recorded and live webinars for all sorts of RPR functions from beginner to advanced.
https://blog.narrpr.com/workshops/
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REALTOR® Store Offers Free Tool
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Members can download a free copy of
Social Media for REALTORS®: Digital Marketing
, which is part of the
National Association of REALTORS
®
(NAR)
Social Media for REALTORS® series. This easy-to-understand guide shows members how to use the power of social media to save time, money and effort while effectively marketing themselves and their businesses online.
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The CE Shop offers discount code for SPAAR members
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SPAAR members interested in taking online classes can access numerous topics on
The CE Shop website
. Now extended through Thursday, April 30, members can receive 40 percent off The CE Shop classes by using the promo code SUPPORT40. at checkout.
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National and State member resources also available
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SPAAR is grateful to its premier sponsors
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